Spain visaWork in SpainSpain work visa for Indian professionals
A Spanish employer obtains the work and residence authorisation before the Indian hire applies for the EUR 80 national visa at BLS International. Graduates and experienced professionals use the highly qualified professional (HQP) authorisation under Law 14/2013, decided by the Unidad de Grandes Empresas in 20 working days with a salary at or above the average for the occupational group (about EUR 40,000 for managers and graduates, EUR 30,000 for technicians), or the EU Blue Card at 1.5 times the average gross salary (about EUR 41,000, 1.2 times for shortage occupations); everyone else goes through the general regime at the provincial immigration office, where the job must be on the shortage list or pass a labour-market test. The TIE card follows within 30 days of arrival, and the 2025 regulation gives initial permits of one year renewed for four.
7 min read Verified 29 October 2026 against exteriores.gob.es · How we verify
Spain work visa: quick answers
- Which route applies to an Indian hire?
- Managers and graduates (or professionals with three years' comparable experience) earning the average salary for their group use the HQP authorisation through the UGE, which also handles intra-company transfers, researchers and start-up staff; degree holders or five-year professionals (three for ICT) at 1.5 times the average gross salary can take the EU Blue Card for intra-EU mobility; and roles outside those thresholds, from skilled trades to hospitality, use the general regime (cuenta ajena), where the occupation must appear on the quarterly shortage catalogue or the employer must prove no suitable candidate in Spain or the EU.
- What does it cost?
- EUR 80 for the national work visa for Indian nationals at BLS (about INR 9,600 plus the BLS fee of about INR 1,700); the authorisation fee (tasa 062) is EUR 10 to 200 depending on the route and salary and is paid by the employer; the TIE card fee is about EUR 16. There is no immigration levy or health surcharge; workers pay social security of about 6.5 per cent and income tax at 19 to 47 per cent, with the Beckham regime's 24 per cent flat rate available to many HQP and Blue Card holders for six years.
- How long does it take from India?
- HQP and Blue Card authorisations through the UGE: 20 working days, with silence counting as approval; general regime: up to three months at the Oficina de Extranjería plus the shortage-list or labour-market steps. The visa then takes about two to four weeks at BLS, and the worker must enter within three months and register with social security within the first month. Plan two to three months for an HQP hire and four to six for the general regime.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | National type D work visa after a residence and work authorisation; TIE card |
| Government fee | EUR 80 visa (Indian nationals); tasa 062 EUR 10 to 200 (employer); TIE about EUR 16 |
| Processing | UGE 20 working days (HQP, Blue Card); general regime up to 3 months; visa 2 to 4 weeks |
| HQP salary | Average gross salary for the occupational group: about EUR 40,000 (groups 1 and 2) or EUR 30,000 (group 3) |
| EU Blue Card salary | 1.5 times the average gross salary (about EUR 41,000); 1.2 times for shortage occupations |
| Initial permit | 1 year (general) renewed for 4; HQP and Blue Card up to 3 years |
| Family | Spouse and children with the HQP and Blue Card application; reunification after renewal in the general regime |
| Verified | 29 Oct 2026 against inclusion.gob.es (UGE), exteriores.gob.es and BLS Spain India |
Highly qualified, EU Blue Card or general regime: which route
| Route | Who | Requirements | Validity | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly qualified professional (Law 14/2013) | Managers, graduates, 3-year professionals hired by Spanish companies | Degree or 3 years' experience; salary at the average for the group (about EUR 40,000 groups 1 and 2, EUR 30,000 group 3); company tax and social security compliant | Up to 3 years, renewable for 2; family included | UGE, 20 working days; positive silence |
| EU Blue Card | Graduates and 5-year professionals (3 for ICT) | Salary at least 1.5 times the average gross (about EUR 41,000; 1.2 times for shortage roles); contract of 6 months or more | Up to 3 years; mobility to another EU state after 12 months | UGE, 20 working days |
| Intra-company transfer (ICT) | Managers, specialists and trainees moving within a group | 3 months' employment in the group; assignment letter | Up to 3 years (1 for trainees) | UGE, 20 working days |
| General regime (cuenta ajena) | Any role on the shortage catalogue or passing the labour-market test | Employer applies at the Oficina de Extranjería; company solvent; contract at the collective agreement rate | 1 year, renewed for 4 | Up to 3 months |
Law 14/2013 created the UGE route to bypass the labour-market test for companies hiring talent: the employer registers with the UGE, uploads the contract, the applicant's degree (with a legalised translation or the equivalence) or experience letters, and the company's compliance certificates, and the authorisation is granted or deemed granted in 20 working days. Salary must reach the average gross salary of the occupational group under the national statistics, which the UGE updates and currently sets at roughly EUR 40,000 for groups 1 and 2 and EUR 30,000 for group 3 (technicians and administrative staff with a degree). Family members apply at the same time and receive work rights.
The general regime still matters for Indian cooks, hospitality staff, truck drivers, welders and care workers: the employer applies to the provincial immigration office for an initial work and residence authorisation, which is granted if the role is on the quarterly Catálogo de Ocupaciones de Difícil Cobertura or after the public employment service certifies that no suitable candidate is available. The 2025 regulation (RD 1155/2024) gives a one-year initial permit renewed for four years, allows a change of employer after the first year and lets students switch to work without leaving Spain.
Fees and who pays them
| Item | Fee | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Residence and work authorisation (tasa 062) | EUR 10 to 200 by route and salary | Employer |
| National work visa (Indian nationals) | EUR 80 | Worker or employer |
| BLS International service fee | About INR 1,700 | Worker or employer |
| TIE card (tasa 790-012) | About EUR 16 | Worker |
| Degree legalisation and sworn translation | EUR 100 to 300 | Worker |
| Social security | About 6.5 per cent employee; 30 per cent employer | Both |
Spain charges no levy or surcharge for hiring foreign professionals. Vistolane charges the EUR 80 visa fee at the official rate and shows the employer's authorisation fee and the TIE separately; employers see every file in Vistolane for business.
How the application runs, step by step
- 1
Employer chooses the route and files
HQP, Blue Card or ICT through the UGE portal (20 working days); general regime at the Oficina de Extranjería (up to 3 months) with the shortage-list or labour-market certificate.
- 2
Authorisation granted
Notified to the employer and the consulate; the worker has 1 month to apply for the visa.
- 3
Apply for the national visa at BLS International
Form, photo, passport, authorisation, apostilled PCC, medical certificate, degree; pay EUR 80; 2 to 4 weeks (10 days for UGE routes).
- 4
Enter Spain within 3 months
Register with social security within 1 month; empadronamiento at the town hall.
- 5
Apply for the TIE within 30 days
Police appointment, tasa 790-012, fingerprints; card in 30 to 45 days.
Timeline for an Indian hire
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Employer file | 1 to 3 weeks | UGE registration, contract, degree equivalence |
| UGE decision (HQP, Blue Card, ICT) | 20 working days | Positive silence applies |
| General regime decision | Up to 3 months | Shortage list or labour-market test first |
| Visa at BLS | 2 to 4 weeks | Within 1 month of the authorisation |
| TIE card | Apply within 30 days; card in 30 to 45 days | Receipt allows work |
HQP hires can plan two to three months from offer to first day; general-regime hires four to six, longer when the occupation is not on the shortage catalogue.
After arrival: changing jobs, family and settlement
HQP and Blue Card holders can change employer by notifying the UGE with the new contract at the required salary; general-regime workers may change employer and sector after the first year under the 2025 regulation. Spouses and children of HQP, Blue Card and ICT holders apply together with the worker and may work; general-regime workers apply for family reunification once the initial permit is renewed, with income of 150 per cent of the IPREM (EUR 900 a month in 2026) for the first relative.
After five years of legal residence workers obtain long-term residence (and the EU long-term permit), and the Beckham regime allows qualifying new residents to pay a flat 24 per cent on Spanish employment income up to EUR 600,000 for six years. Citizenship requires ten years of residence (two for nationals of Ibero-American countries, which does not include India) and renunciation of Indian citizenship.
Document checklist: applicant
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid beyond the contract, 2 blank pages | Plus old passports |
| Degree with MEA apostille and sworn Spanish translation, or homologation | HQP and Blue Card |
| Experience letters | 3 years (HQP) or 5 years (Blue Card, 3 for ICT) where relying on experience |
| Apostilled police clearance certificate, translated | India and countries of residence in the last 5 years |
| Medical certificate | No disease under the 2005 International Health Regulations |
| Photo 35 by 45 mm | White background |
Employer
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Residence and work authorisation | UGE (HQP, Blue Card, ICT) or Oficina de Extranjería (general) |
| Employment contract | Salary at the route's threshold and the collective agreement rate |
| Company compliance | Tax and social security certificates; CIF; registration |
| Shortage-list or labour-market certificate | General regime only |
In Spain
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Social security registration within 1 month | Through the employer |
| Empadronamiento | Town hall registration |
| TIE within 30 days | Tasa 790-012, fingerprints |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Salary below the threshold
Offer under the group average (HQP) or under 1.5 times the average (Blue Card).
The fix. Raise the contract to the threshold or use the general regime with the shortage list.
Degree not recognised
No apostille, translation or equivalence for the degree.
The fix. Apostille through the MEA, use a sworn translator and request the equivalence early; rely on experience where allowed.
Occupation not on the shortage list
General-regime role without a labour-market certificate.
The fix. Obtain the public employment service certificate or restructure the role under the UGE.
Company non-compliant
Tax or social security arrears, or no registration with the UGE.
The fix. Clear arrears and register before filing.
Visa applied for late
More than 1 month after the authorisation.
The fix. Book BLS as soon as the authorisation is notified.
Official sources
- Ministry of Inclusion: Unidad de Grandes Empresas, highly qualified professionals (Law 14/2013) ↗
- Consulate General of Spain in Mumbai: consular fees ↗
- BLS International Spain Visa (India): centres, fees and appointments ↗
- Policía Nacional (Sede Electrónica): foreigner identity card (TIE) procedures and fee 790-012 ↗
- EU Immigration Portal: EU Blue Card in Spain ↗
Spain work visa questions
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